Gwangju City Requests Support from People Power Party for Local Issues and National Budget Securing

People Power Party's Floor Leader Joo Ho-young and Budget Policy Council Hold Meeting

Request for Cooperation on 5·18 Special Act and Military Airport Relocation Special Act Amendments

On the morning of the 27th, Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, attended the People Power Party-Honam Region Budget Policy Council held in the city hall business room and took a commemorative photo with budget policy committee members including Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, and Lee Jong-bae, chairman of the Policy Committee. Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan City

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] On the morning of the 27th, Gwangju Metropolitan City held a budget policy meeting with the People Power Party in the city hall briefing room, requesting active support to resolve regional issues and secure next year's national budget.

Attending the budget policy meeting were Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop and department heads, and from the People Power Party, Floor Leader Joo Ho-young, Policy Committee Chairman Lee Jong-bae, Budget and Accounts Committee Secretary Chu Kyung-ho, and Budget and Accounts Committee members Jeong Un-cheon, Choi Hyung-du, and Hwang Bo-seung-hee.

The meeting was organized to gather opinions on major regional projects in the Honam region's three cities and provinces?Gwangju, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam?and on next year's national budget support projects that require increased funding during the National Assembly review process, and to discuss party-level support measures.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop said, "The citizens of Gwangju earnestly hope that the history of the May 18 Democratic Movement will not be distorted or belittled but properly upheld," and requested the amendment of the special law concerning punishment for distortion of the May 18 history.

He also stated, "Military airports are important national security facilities, and their relocation is a national policy project that requires active national involvement; however, the current law shifts all responsibility to local governments through a donation and transfer method," adding, "On behalf of 1.5 million citizens of Gwangju, I earnestly ask for the passage of a special law so that the government can play a significant role and provide support in relocating urban military airports."

He continued, "If the People Power Party takes the lead in passing the two most desired bills by citizens during the regular National Assembly session, our citizens will trust the sincerity of the People Power Party and sincerely express gratitude."

On this day, Gwangju explained the progress of eight key projects including ▲ amendment of the special law on the May 18 Democratic Movement, ▲ passage of the special law on military airport relocation, ▲ enhancement of the effectiveness of the Asia Culture Center City, ▲ fostering the artificial intelligence industry and establishment of a special law on data processing, ▲ promotion of the establishment of Gwangju Medical Center, ▲ construction of the National Trauma Healing Center, ▲ establishment of the Korea Culture Technology (CT) Research Institute in Gwangju, and ▲ corporate tax reductions for advanced technology/products and key attraction industries in the Free Economic Zone, requesting prompt legislative processing.

Additionally, for next year, Gwangju proposed an increase in the National Assembly budget for 24 projects totaling 168.6 billion won, including ▲ housing support for workers in the Gwangju-type job program, ▲ creation of the Gwangju Green Startup Town, ▲ establishment of an AI-integrated energy control system to realize RE100, and ▲ construction of a data-based digital fair green manufacturing platform.

In response, Floor Leader Joo Ho-young said, "Including Gwangju's requests, we will pay close attention and strive to support the creation of an industrial convergence complex as Gwangju leads as an AI-centered industrial innovation city and to enable strategic investment in future convergence technologies."

He also promised, "As pledged in the last general election, we will take a deep interest in creating a complex Gwangju-type Green Startup Town that comprehensively combines housing, culture, and welfare for startup innovative companies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.